Gates, Clinton Advising President to Not Release OBL Photograph; Obama Increasingly Concerned No Good Would Come from It

May 04, 2011 7:07 AM

President Obama is increasingly doubtful that there's a compelling reason to release a photograph of Osama bin Laden's corpse, ABC News has learned.

There don't seem to be many skeptics of bin Laden's death in the Muslim world, with bin Laden's wife having survived the attack to identify bin Laden's death both to the Navy SEALs and Pakistani authorities.

Meanwhile, sources say, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are advising the president about concerns at the Pentagon and State Department that releasing a photograph could prompt a backlash against the US for killing bin Laden where one does not seem to currently exist.

Turn on your TV any day or night and you will see the following: 'Bones'; a burned strangulated corpse recovered from a fetid swamp. 'NCIS'; a sailor who was found with his entire body de-skinned,...in a fetid swamp. Any 'Law and Order'; a victim pulled from the East river now in their morgue with just enough ghoulishness to make you puke.

And Barry is worried about this???????????????? Holy Crap, to paraphrase Frank Barone!

5
posted on 05/04/2011 8:22:26 AM PDT
by Doc Savage
("I've shot people I like a lot more,...for a lot less!" Raylan Givins)

They have already lost the chance to craft one terse narrative and then stick to it. There must be all sorts of video and photographic evidence. Why release any of it? Debriefing will provide all sorts of details. Some will be in conflict. Again, why release any of it?

6
posted on 05/04/2011 8:22:57 AM PDT
by swain_forkbeard
(Rationality may not be sufficient, but it is necessary.)

There don't seem to be many skeptics of bin Laden's death in the Muslim world,

That doesn't seem to be true. There are all types of denials to OBL death in the Arab world. Even Al Qaeda is posting on their websites that this is an American hoax. I think that the WH is ginning up excitement over the release of the pic by playing this game. They will end up doing this.

7
posted on 05/04/2011 8:23:05 AM PDT
by Lazlo in PA
(Now living in a newly minted Red State.)

The liberals in the ACLU went to court to force release of additional Abu Grahib (sp?) photos, when that issue was a hot issue. The liberal view was that secrecy was not important, and that the full extent of what happened at Abu Grahib should be documented for the world.

In this case, why would liberals NOT want to release photos of the dead Bin Laden? Especially since the MSM has been tripping over themselves in awe and admiration of Obama as a strong leader and all that in taking out Bin Laden???

So since O and Co. took over the WH they claim Bin Laden was the number one priority foreign policy-wise (a weak position that asserts Bin Laden was the be-all, end-all) and yet somehow the question of providing visual proof was not an issue discussed multiple times over the years? But the photos from Abu Graib (sic) were truthful journalism?

This administration can’t claim they will release the pics and vid of burial and then claim that on second thought this “might” inflame the Muslim world. This was a question long ago answered (yes) and has now become, apparently, a big no.

I can understand no releasing any video of the raid so as not to show any tactical information. But to not release photos of his corpse is a slap in the face to freedom. They are not our parents. We can handle the “truth”. It is up to US whether or not to look at the “gruesome” pictures. When something is done around the world in our names we have the right to as much information as is possibly available. We the people should demand this. As for inciting the Muslim world. Are they not already irrationally incited? Besides, they seem to only kill each other in the streets when they get angry. So, what’s the problem?

Suppose you killed the #1 wanted man in the world, rushed out instantly to dump the body at sea, then announced to world of you great deed. Now we were told the ‘death photos’ are too grusome. Contrast that to the process of previous HVTs our military got under Bush.

This WH does not understand their credibility on most things are suspicious, and we all should just take teh WON’s words for it.

There is no doubt that Navy SEALs are expert marksmen. But, almost all self defense instructors teach to first aim for center mass, the chest.

Double tap means 2 shots to the chest. Since many attackers are high on drugs and/or armed a double tap is followed by a shot to the head. Instructors teach to go for the larger target then the smaller target (the head).

Even with the best night vision equipment in a fast changing situation why would SEALs go for the low percentage head shots first?

The only wounds reported are double taps to the head. That has sounded strange to me since the first reports came in.

One wonders whether the "new" sensitivities really appease that malignant haters of our western society. For some it is not a matter to ponder, myself they will hate us in any case.

Might be off topic but a mention of history here. Muhammad Ahmad,(1844-1885), called the Al-Mahdi wiped out an Egyptian force of ten thousand men and took Khartoum with the death of General Gordon. The Sudan was to deteriorate under Islamic rule for 13 years. However six months after his triumph, he died of typhus, a magnificent tomb and edifice was built at Omdurman.

Lord Kitchener conquered the Dervish in 1898 at Omdurman. He ordered the splendid tomb absolutely destroyed. He had the body of the Al Mahdi thrown into the River Nile. The head of this man was taken and some correctness may have kicked in. Kitchener was persuaded not to use the skull as an ashtray.

Nothing happened to Kitchener or his forces afterward. He met his death by the German submarine attack in 1917. I understand a magnificent tomb replaced the one Kitchener destroyed and is a tourist attraction.

“Throughout Southeast Asia, the alleged killing of Osama Bin Laden coupled with the delay by the United States government in releasing any photographic evidence to the fact is giving birth to a flood of conspiracy theories, with many refusing to believe that Al Qaeda’s leader is actually dead.”

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